This invention relates to a delivery vehicle.
In urban centers, delivery vehicles are commonly used for the delivery of parcels, such as boxes. Typically the vehicle operator is able to access the cargo bay of the vehicle through a passageway from the operator's cab in order to retrieve smaller parcels: the operator may then exit through a side door of the vehicle to deliver the parcels. For larger deliveries, such as the delivery of a number of boxes, the operator typically exits the vehicle, walks to the rear of the vehicle, and opens a rear vehicle door. The operator may then retrieve a handcart, which may be inside the cargo bay or latched to the back of the vehicle, and position the handcart behind the vehicle. Next the boxes that form the delivery may be retrieved from the cargo bay and stacked on the handcart. Lastly, the operator may transport the stacked boxes with the handcart to complete the delivery.
Advantageously, a delivery vehicle has a single level floor. This typically requires that the floor be held about 30″ (76 cm) above the ground to provide a sufficient clearance above the drive train—and especially, the differential—to allow for a suitable suspension. This floor height typically means an operator negotiates two or three steps each time he enters or leaves the vehicle. As an operator fatigues, these steps increase risk of injury.
Although delivery vehicles may allow for the delivery of goods in an urban center relatively efficiently, it is desirable to increase this efficiency. Furthermore, considerable strain is put on the operator of the delivery vehicle over the course of a day and anything which could lessen this strain (and therefore possibly reduce risk of injury) would be desirable.